The Colonial Legacy

Historical Colonialism

• 16th to second half of 20th centuries• Profound impacts still felt today

– Economically– Politically – Socially

• Current economic progress and problems of developing world rooted in colonial past

The Colonies

• Needed to establish reliable trade routes between Europe and East Asia

• Colonies existed only to meet the needs of the colonizers

• Competition between European nations to secure strategic locations, seaways, and routes

Treaty of Tordesillas

Colonial Trade Routes

Periods of Colonialism

Pre-Industrial Revolution

• Suppliers of goods– Canada: lumber,

fur– US: cotton,

tobacco– East: spices, teas

Post-Industrial Revolution

• Mercantilist system

• Colonies as a captive market

• Severe economic restrictions– India (cotton)

Concession Companies

• Created to establish trade in the colonies (e.g., HBC)

• Traded in particular products (e.g., fur)

• Served as government in remote regions

British East India Company

Impacts of Colonialism

Land Tenure

Plantations

Cash Crops

Artificial Trade Controls

• Taxes / tariffs on goods to protect economic interests of mother country

• Manufacturing restrictions to eliminate competition

Environmental Problems

• No environmental protection laws• Mining, forestry, agriculture and

manufacturing industries– Pollution

• Chemical• Biological• Physical waste

– Non-sustainable

Foreign Political Systems

• Traditional political systems disregarded

Elite Groups

Redrawn Boundaries

Imposition of Culture & Language

• Positives– Common

language– Cultural imports

are widely shared• Cricket

• Negatives– Local cultures

made inferior– Establish social

hierarchies

Infrastructure

• Transportation routes established to move raw materials and goods, not populated areas

Current Economic Colonialism

• Classic colonialism replaced by informal imperialism

• Support of client states (financial and military) in exchange for support

Colonies’ Role Colonial Period Post-Colonial Period

Source of raw materials

Source of manufactured products

Market for manufactured goods

Chief beneficiary

Yes

No, competition not wanted

Yes

Colonial power

Yes

Yes, because of cheap labour supply

Yes

Transnational Corporation